Build a Longevity Ecosystem

Community planning that incorporates a longevity lens across sectors creates stronger, safer, and more inclusive places to live and work in Maryland. Coordinated support among state and local leadership will create more efficient pathways for all Marylanders to age in place.

Track Progress

Objective 1: Strengthen partnerships with service providers, community organizations, nonprofits, academia, and the private sector to leverage public-private partnerships and support community-driven action.

Strategies

  • Continually assess longevity readiness across state agencies and increase cross-sector collaboration that embraces a lifespan approach to policy and service delivery.
  • Improve data capture and dissemination through coordinated data systems and capacity building at the state and local levels.
  • Engage local communities in asset mapping, identifying opportunities to promote healthy longevity.
  • Promote the adoption of the age-friendly communities model as an effective means for local governments, organizations, and community members to advance collaboration that supports healthy longevity.
  • Enhance innovation and partnerships between government and community-based nonprofit organizations.
  • Increase private investment that supports local age-friendly programs
    and infrastructure.

Outcomes

Short Term (1-3 Years)
  • Increase awareness of the impact of age-friendly communities model
  • Community assets mapped by local action teams
  • Expand participation in interagency coalitions
Mid Term (4-6 Years)
  • Integrate data systems for coordinated service referrals
Long Term (7-10 Years)
  • Increase investment and reach of services for older adults

Objective 2: Enhance multi-disciplinary prevention and response policies for elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation across state agencies.

Strategies

Review and adopt recommendations of the Task Force on Preventing and Countering Elder Abuse, including:

  • Implement policies that promote justice and safeguard older adults across state- and federally-funded programs.
  • Enhance accountability and oversight for people moving between levels of care or settings within the health care system.
  • Improve systems for monitoring private and public guardianship to preserve the rights of older adults.
  • Prevent fraud, cybercrime, and financial exploitation through increased oversight of powers of attorney and representative payees, and implementing collaborative systems of action on bank fraud and exploitation.

Outcomes

Short Term (1-3 Years)
  • Develop partnerships and implementation plan for enhanced response to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation
Mid Term (4-6 Years)
  • Implement the action plan through legislative and programmatic policy development
Long Term (7-10 Years)
  • Improve prevention, detection, assessment, intervention, and investigation policies and programs

Objective 3: Increase the distribution of resources across state programs to historically underserved and under-resourced communities.

Strategies

  • Engage under-resourced communities to plan and implement programs and policies that address community needs.
  • Establish criteria across agencies for state-funded grants to ensure resources are targeted to communities in need.
  • Integrate a longevity lens across state equity planning and implementation to improve reach and access of services among underserved populations, including people living in or near poverty, rural communities, people living with HIV, people of color, LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, people with sight or hearing accessibility challenges, Native Americans, and those at risk of nursing home placement.
  • Provide training that supports the adoption of bias-free language principles that promote the benefits and contributions of older Marylanders in all state- and federally-funded communications.
  • Continue investment in sustainable growth to build community resiliency, connectivity, affordability, and vitality.

Outcomes

Short Term (1-3 Years)
  • Develop resources to improve equitable public program delivery
  • Map eligibility criteria for programs targeting older adults
  • Increase representation of under-resourced communities in collaborative planning
Mid Term (4-6 Years)
  • Enhance service policy collaborations with local organizations
Long Term (7-10 Years)
  • Increase services to those in greatest social and economic need

Objective 4: Maximize the benefits of older volunteers across sectors.

Strategies

  • Evaluate the landscape of volunteerism in Maryland and develop an action plan that leverages the growing population of skilled older volunteers.
  • Increase awareness and adoption of the neighbor-helping-neighbor Village model.
  • Recruit older volunteers and multigenerational volunteer teams into coordinated service opportunities.
  • Increase the number of volunteers of all ages providing support to older Marylanders through Maryland Corps, AmeriCorps Seniors, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Maryland Access Point, SHIP, and other programs through cross-promotion of volunteerism opportunities across state agencies.

Outcomes

Short Term (1-3 Years)
  • Establish actionable methods to encourage volunteer support for older Marylanders
  • Increase awareness of volunteer opportunities
Mid Term (4-6 Years)
  • Increase volunteers of all ages
Long Term (7-10 Years)
  • Improve and expand services through a multigenerational volunteer workforce

Potential measures of impact:

  • Increase the number of and diversity of local organizations participating in LRM activities
  • Increase participation in volunteer programs available to and for older adults
  • Increase people trained in reducing age-related bias in state-developed communications